Three Mets trades from three fans to land Francisco Lindor

The once heavy rumors surrounding the New York Mets and Francisco Lindor have seemed to fizzle out a bit, but that doesn’t mean a deal can’t be made. What could a trade package for the prized shortstop look like?

After a lackluster Winter Meetings, the hot stove has started to heat up for the New York Mets. Having bolstered the bullpen with the addition of reliever Trevor May, the Mets signed catcher James McCann to handle duties behind the plate, while also hiring Jared Porter to handle their general manager duties.

With more moves certain to come for the Mets, one move that’s seemingly faded into the background is the idea of acquiring star shortstop Francisco Lindor. Even before the transition in ownership was official, Mets Twitter had speculated heavily that if Steve Cohen were in fact to become the owner of the New York Mets, a trade for Lindor was all but inevitable.

While the Mets have certainly been moving, there’s a lot of work still to be done. There are still questions lingering about who will be manning center field on Opening Day as well as questions about what the rotation will look like behind Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman.

By adding McCann, the Mets certainly have money to spend, almost $60 million before hitting the Competitive Balance Tax, according to projections. Unless Cohen plans to surpass the luxury tax, that money is almost certain to be allocated to solidifying the rotation, securing a full-time upgrade in centerfield, and possibly extending some homegrown stars.

However, Sandy Alderson has been known to be a showman and Cohen is known to be a shark when it comes to getting what he wants. The adored owner has expressed his desire to be wise with his seemingly infinite cash, but could a trade for Lindor be the cherry on top that sends a message to the rest of Major League Baseball that the #LOLMets hashtag is dead and gone?

There’s no denying that the Mets have both the pieces and the finances to pry Lindor away from Cleveland. What’s more, is that the Indians are eager to move on from the 26-year old all-star. Between the $22-ish million that will be owed to him and the fact that it’s a walk-year, Lindor is all but certain to start the season next year in a different uniform. The question that is pressing is whether or not he’ll be wearing blue and orange.

To determine what it would take to get Lindor in a Mets uniform next year, we call upon three writers from Rising Apple to put together their best trade packages for the electric switch-hitter. The following trade offers have been put together by Elizabeth Muratore, Adrian Cervantes, and Allen Settle.